EUROMARFOR Task Group is at sea participating in the multinational exercise CONTEX-PHIBEX 15. The exercise started the sea phase on the 17^th June 2015.

In this exercise, a total of twelve Portuguese and eight foreign ships (from Spain, France, Holland and Germany), a marine detachment  from Portugal and Spain and also a number of aircrafts from the Portuguese Air Force, encompassing a total of 4,000 military personnel. The exercise is led  by Vice Admiral Pereira da Cunha (Naval Commander - COMNAV).
 
The CT-PH15 / HPX15 exercise integrates:

• The Portuguese Naval Force, led by Captain (PRT) Alexandre Gonçalves, consisting of four ships, namely NRP Bartolomeu Dias, NRP Vasco da Gama, NRP Bérrio  and NRP Jacinto Cândido.
• The NATO Standing Naval Force (SNMG1), led by the Rear Admiral (PRT) Silvestre Correia, consisting of two ships, namely NRP D. Francisco de Almeida (PRT) and HNLMS Tromp (HOL).
• The European Maritime Force (EUROMARFOR), led by the Captain (ESPN) Domingo Gómez-Pamo Guerra, consisting of three ships, namely ESPS Cristobal Colón (ESP, the flagship), FS Courbet (FRA) and NRP Álvares Cabral (PRT).
• Three ships belonging to the Amphibious Forces of Spain - ESPS Juan Carlos I, the ESPS ESPS Castilla and ESPS Santa Maria.
• And also the Portuguese submarine Tridente, the NRP D. Carlos I, the NRP Viana do Castelo, the NRP Cassiopeia, the NRP Orion and the NRP Argos.

Resulting in an economy of means and resources, without compromising the objectives defined and the training requirements, the CT-PH15 / HPX15 brings together two types of activities with complementary objectives designed for the training of naval forces as part of the amphibious operations, and further validation of experimental doctrines.

This exercise is of high importance  for the participating units (naval, amphibious and air forces), aiming to achieve and maintain high standards of readiness and interoperability. It is also aiming to improve the cohesion between all of the forces and the commands involved. At the same time, some new tactics, practices and procedures are tested in various domains of the naval warfare. The focus has been given to the surveillance and maritime interdiction, amphibious landing and operations contributing to the global fight against terrorism and piracy. The setting of the exercise has been specially designed  for the occasion, taking into account the international environment and the currently diffused real-world threats.